FURI | Spring 2020

Extraction of Silver via Electrowinning for Solar Panel Recycling

The purpose of the experiment is to develop a process for the extraction of silver from a hydrofluoric acid solution using electrowinning. The goal was to develop a method that uses a pure silver reference electrode and find the voltage that maximizes the mass recovery. The silver reference electrode was proven to be stable in the solution, but a high mass recovery rate has not yet been attained. In order to achieve a higher mass recovery, the peroxide in the solution needs to be reacted out fully before beginning the electrolysis.